Tennis icon Martina Navratilova doubles down on Daniel Radcliffe criticism amid trans row
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The 66-year-old has comdemned the actor from the Harry Potter series
Tennis icon Martina Navratilova has doubled down on her criticism of Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe.
Earlier in the week, Navratilova took aim at the 34-year-old for critical comments made about author JK Rowling.
Rowling wrote the very books that helped propel Radcliffe into the public eye, with the actor cast in the role of Harry Potter at the age of 12.
A graphic contained quotes from Radcliffe that said: "Transgender women are women.
"Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associates who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Joe or I."
Navratilova responded by simply saying: "Just be quiet Daniel. Be quiet."
One user has now asked the 66-year-old about her criticism.
They said: "Seems he's defending trans women. Why be quiet?"
And Navratilova then responded on X by doubling down and making it clear why she opposes transgender people entering the spaces of biological women.
"Because females need their sex based spaces, that means no biological males, however they might identify," she said.
"That includes sports and the locker rooms.
"Thank you."
The user that had challenged Navratilova's comments seemed to back down, saying: "My question was genuine, so I thank you for taking the time to reply.
"I'm trying to get my head around this complex issue.
"Appreciate you not just swatting me."
And Navratilova said 'fair enough' while accompanying her post with a smiley face.
The Wimbledon hero, who has long been a symbol for gay and lesbian rights, has also made headlines by slamming a video of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.
Haaland spoke with drag queen Pattie Gonia at New York City's Stonewall monument earlier this week.
She asks the drag queen about the importance of the Stonewall Monument.
Gonia replied by saying: "I think it's because queer rights are more under attack than ever.
"At a place like Stonewall, this beautiful place, it's a place where so much discrimination and hatred occurred against the queer community, but it's also a place where resistance and queer joy and queer liberation happened.
"I think that is worth celebrating and commemorating. So, I think that we need to not ignore hate as it exists today.
"We need to acknowledge it because it's not just our past, but it's our present."
Navratilova couldn't contain her anger, however, and hit back by saying: "Is this a joke? The pathetic parody of women continues."
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A critic on X said: "Butch lesbians always faced the same derision. 'Not really a woman'. We should all embrace each other."
And Navratilova again fired back, saying: "And how exactly are we supposed to know the difference?
"And please do not compare males to butch females. Thank you."
Navratilova previously branded the idea of transgender athletes competing against biological women 'insane' back in 2019.